About NPQSL
The DfE-accredited NPQSL delivers evidence-based senior leadership training to those who are, or aspire to be, senior leaders. This flexible part-time training fits around a teacher’s timetable and is delivered through a combination of face-to-face events, online study, webinars and coaching. Completing NPQSL is hugely beneficial for participants as well as their school and pupils. We are proud to have delivered NPQs to thousands of International School participants across the globe. Find out about our Remote Online Delivery option on the last page.
Benefits for participants
Portable qualification valid and highly sought-after by UK schools and International Schools
Increased awareness and understanding of self and of the behaviours needed to lead across a school
T ime to reflect on leadership practice and ability to check learning and development needs
Increased capability and capacity to take on leadership across a school – having the skills, knowledge and understanding to do the job more effectively
Qualification elements
Benefits for schools
S upport succession of school leaders and build a cohesive, impact-focused school leadership team Evidence-based sustainable school improvement undertaken to reduce variation in pupil progress and attainment and to improve teaching
A professionally aware and informed leader who can make evidence-based decisions and approach new challenges in an effective and efficient manner
The ability to review and evaluate practice in order to bring about change and get the best for young people and staff within the organisation
Induction (incl. Initial needs analysis: 1 hour)
Qualification programme structure
The NPQSL content is delivered across four development stage cycles that include face-to-face events, online study, a formative assessment task and leadership performance coaching. The context focus for each cycle aligns to each of the content areas identified by the DfE, and their sequencing across the delivery cycle has been carefully crafted to ensure depth of study and time for most effective reflection and review by each participant.
DEVELOPMENT STAGE Online course study Face-to-face events Formative assessment tasks Leadership performance coaching 6 hours 24 hours 38 hours 20 hours 9 hours Total Guided Learning Hours: 97 Case study scenario SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT STAGE Max. 1500 words
INDUCTION STAGE
Induction & Initial needs analysis Short Course 1: School Improvement and Implementation One-to-one Coaching One-to-one Coaching Face-to-face 1: Ethical Principles and Leadership Behaviours Short Course 2: Ethical Principles and Leadership Behaviours Summative Assessment Case Study Face-to-face 2: Leading Culture and Ethos Course 1: Leading Culture and Ethos Face-to-face 3: Leading Teaching Course 2: Leading Teaching Face-to-face 4: Leading Organisational Effectiveness Course 3: Leading Organisational Effectiveness Programme Induction Summative Assessment Programme Development (18 months) CYCLE ONE CYCLE TWOCYCLE THREECYCLE FOUR Group Coaching One-to-one Coaching Formative Assessment Task Group Coaching One-to-one Coaching Formative Assessment Task Group Coaching One-to-one Coaching Formative Assessment Task Group Coaching One-to-one Coaching Formative Assessment Task 2 | Outstanding Leaders Partnership
Induction
The induction stage includes insight into and preparation for qualification engagement and the School improvement and implementation short course. Participants will complete their initial needs analysis as part of this stage.
Induction and Initial needs analysis
Self assessment of skills, knowledge and understanding of ‘learn that’ and ‘learn how to’ statements derived from the DfE qualification frameworks and leadership behaviours. The outcomes of the analysis inform ongoing discussion and feedback throughout the programme.
Face-to-face content outline
The NPQSL programme includes four face-to-face events spread across the 18-month duration of the qualification. Face-to-face events are delivered remotely for participants from International Schools.
Each event precedes online course study and will introduce the climate and context for online study. The four event days consist of tailored practice tasks, group networking and self-managed learning interaction supporting powerful dialogue and leadership development.
Face-to-face events
• Day 1: Ethical Principles and Leadership Behaviours
• Day 2: Leading Culture and Ethos
• Day 3: Leading Teaching
• Day 4: Leading Organisational Effectiveness
Online course content outline
NPQSL participants will undertake two short courses and three full courses.
As part of online course engagement compliance, participants will be required to select and complete three practice activities and undertake one formative assessment task.
Each full course includes three study modules that are to be completed within a recommended time frame of 10 hours. Each short course is composed of 4 hours of study.
Short courses
1. S chool Improvement and Implementation
2. Ethical Principles and Leadership Behaviours
Full courses
1. Leading Culture and Ethos
• M odule 1: School culture
• M odule 2: Behaviour
• M odule 3: Professional development
2. Leading Teaching
• M odule 1: Teaching
• M odule 2: Curriculum and assessment
• M odule 3: Additional and SEN/disabilities
3. Leading Organisational Effectiveness
• M odule 1: Organisational management
• M odule 2: Working in partnership
• M odule 3: Governance and accountability
Formative assessment tasks
The formative assessment tasks are in-school practice-led activities that participants choose to complete following an online course. There are four formative assessment tasks for NPQSL.
Leadership performance coaching
NPQSL participants will engage with ten hours of coaching.
Group coaching
• Four hours (one hour following each online course)
One-to-one coaching
• Six hours (one hour during the induction stage and then one hour following the completion of each formative assessment task, plus an impact review prior to the summative assessment stage)
Assessment
Qualification elements that count towards final assessment
To pass an NPQ, the following criteria need to be met:
• Participants must engage in 90% of the course elements determined by the provider.
• Participants must submit and pass one summative assessment that takes the form of a case study. Participants have an eight-day window to provide a written response of a maximum 1500 words and submit this by midnight on the designated eighth day.
What are the course elements I must engage with?
1. Leadership Development Record (LDR) review
2. Face-to-face events
3. O nline practice activities
4. Formative assessment tasks
5. Coaching
| 3 National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership
Course intakes
There are two intakes per year, one beginning in autumn and one in spring. Please see our website for application deadlines and delivery schedules.
Remotely delivered CPD
Before Covid, we were able to offer both Face-to-Face and Remote Online Delivery models, however since the introduction of travel restrictions, the majority of our International School NPQ participants now complete the qualifications through the Remote Online Delivery model. We hope to resume working with out International School partners to offer a choice of NPQ delivery models in the near future. Please contact us to find out more.
NPQs are remotely delivered meaning they can be completed anywhere in the world! We have remotely delivered NPQs to International Schools colleagues in places as remote as the Falkland Islands and the Seychelles so location is not an issue.
Entry requirements
NPQSL is for those who are, or are aspiring to become, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities such as an experienced middle leader, a SEN coordinator, an assistant headteacher or other senior staff.
In order to be accepted onto the qualification, participants must have their application endorsed by their headteacher via a signed headteacher declaration that is uploaded as part of the participant’s application.
How to apply
Completing an NPQ is a huge achievement that requires a significant investment in time and effort. As such we advise all participants to follow these steps when applying:
• Discuss the NPQ with your headteacher or CPD lead. What are your goals? How will the NPQ benefit your school and pupils?
• Contact us with any questions about the qualification or the availability of funding.
• Start your application as early as possible to avoid the last minute NPQ rush!
The new and simplified NPQ application form can be found at outstandingleaders.org/npqsl-international
It should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete and our NPQ advisors are on-hand via our website’s livechat to answer your questions and support your application.
We look forward to working with you
What’s next?
We use facilitated online webinars and the Virtual Learning Environment Canvas to ensure that participants completing NPQs remotely get access to the same great content and support as the thousands of NPQ participants who complete these qualifications through Face-to-Face learning in the UK.
The NPQ certificates received by UK participants and International participants are identical and are in high demand by both UK schools and International Schools.
Participants who successfully complete NPQSL may choose to continue their professional development through the completion of a master’s degree in educational leadership using the 30 master’s credits earned through completion of the qualification.
Alternatively, if they deem themselves to be within three years of applying for headship roles, participants might go on to complete the National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH).
Professionally, NPQSL graduates may choose to apply for senior leadership or system leadership roles such as deputy head, specialist leader of education (SLE) or teaching school director.
Contact us +44 (0) 117 920 9428 info@outstandingleaders.org outstandingleaders.org/international Worldwide NPQ Delivery